Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-01-10
How Kid Gloves are Made.

Millions OF kid gloves are demanded
by the inhabitants of every large
country, while only few goats, COM
pratively, are raised in the world, and
OF these large number must be kept
until full grown for breeding purposes.
The demand for gloves is much greater
than the supply of genuine skins, and
a substitute is found in the lambskin.
which makes an excellent grade of
glove and is easily palmed off for kid.
Genuine kid gloves can be obtained at
a high price. says the New York Tn
bune, but thousands of people who
think they are wearing kid have only
the skin of the innocent lamb.
The lambskins. being selected with
great care, are taken to the factory and
put in large tanks. partly filled with
the yolks of eggs and other soft, sticky
materials. Here they are subjected to
thorough pounding with heavy
stick, padded, so rs not to injure the
skins. In some factories men with bare
feet tread on them. The object of all
this is TO "nourishn the skin and make
it strong and ''healthy." The skins
are kept in these tanks for longer or
ment of the superintendent If allowed
to remain too long they become too well
nourished and decay. After the nourish-
ing comes the work of cleaning. The
skins are worked in tubs of fresh water
and washed thoroughly until all traces
of foreign substance are removed from
the outside. They now become soft and
in color dull white. They are laid on
smooth stone slab with the rough
side down and pressed and stretched
until every wrinkle has been smoothed
out.
The skins, being wet. remain in this
stretched state and are then dyed. The
dye is laid on with brush, and the
shade is always darker than the one
desired, for the dripping and after treat
ment Tighten 1t at least one-quarter.
The greatest care is taken to prevent
any spots of dye from getting on the
inside of the skin. spot being serious
defect in a high-priced glove. After
the skins have been allowed to drip for
several hours they are taken to the dry
ing-room, the air of which is kept at a
high temperature, usually by steam
heat. 1t does not take long for the
skins to dry out hard, stiff and rough.
Before they can be used they are made
soft and pliable again by lying for sew.
eral days in damp sawdust, Then they
are placed on a machine worked by q
screw and by 4 continuous and gentle
pressure stretched to the utmost. II
there are any holes. rough spots, or
cracks in the skin it is thrown away, or
should be. Not all of the glove-makers
are honest. and the blemisheS are often
covered up. This accounts for the sud-
den giving-out of many gloves.
The delicate part of glove-making is
the cutting, as the least variation in the
lines will destroy the symmetry of the
glove and make the fit imperfect. To
get the parts to fit as well as possible
patterns are used for each size; but even
with these mistakes are often made. In
firSt-class factories where the skin is not
properly cut it is thrown away or cut
up into gussets Every skin is studied
by the cutter, so as 10 make the great
est number of gloves from it with the
least waste, and it is so graded that the
largest sizes are first marked out and
the rest is used for children's gloves
Modern invention has enabled the cut
ter, when blocking out the glove, to
make little holes in the skin for stitches.
This insures perfect regularity and uni
formity of stitching, which are of great
Importance. If the stitch is too tight
an uneven pressure is put on the skin,
which makes it break easily, and if too
loose it leaves bag in the glove.
Linen and silk thread are used and the
stitching is done by women who are
fairly well paid. When the gloves are
made they are thoroughly inspected.
and. if accepted, are tied in bundles
ready for the market.
Why French gloves should take the
lead is hard to tell. The same materials
are used rs in other countries and the
workman are not over expert; but the
French glove excels in elasticity and
gives, when pressure is put on it by
the hand without getting out of shape
This country takes the lead in dogskin,
buckskin, and doeskin gloves. These
names are misleading, since all the
gloves are made of sheepskin. There is
money in the business as well Us hum
bug. and capital invested in a we'll
managed factory will bring large
return.
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